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Chinese Medicine treatment may be able to assist with the management of itching, rashes, blisters, pain related to some skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, urticaria, acne, Herpes Zoster, psoriasis, et al.
- Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine
Chinese medicine considers the body as a whole entity, with the environment. A person’s diet, lifestyle, emotions and environment all are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of a skin disorder. The goal then is to treat the pattern disorder which is the root cause of the problem not the disease itself. During a consultation one might be asked about sleep, emotions, diet, digestion, and so on. Diagnostic techniques may include:
• Observations of patient's tongue
• Pulse diagnosis--- Palpation of the patient's pulse
• Observations of patient’s skin (especially the eruption area which occur initially)
• Palpation of the patient's body for tenderness or comparison of relative warmth or coolness of different parts of the body
- Treatment in Chinese medicine
Depending on the skin conditions, a TCM treatment protocol might cover a combination of
oral Chinese herbs, Acupuncture, external herbal washes, creams and dietary advice. Generally a patient will be required initially to visit us on a weekly basis, then fortnightly or monthly visits will be arranged once the condition has stabilised. The course varies with the skin disorders and individuals. From our experience positive results usually will be reached within 1-5 weeks. In initial consultation, an estimation of the likely length of treatment will be recommended.
Chinese herbal medicine
There are over 450 herbs, animal and mineral extracts which are used in combination. In China, herbal medicine is considered as the primary therapeutic modality of internal medicine. . Every herb has its own characteristics and effects and combining them together can achieve maximum benefit and reduce the side effects, and also can adapt to the specific needs of patients, especially these patients with insomnia or mood problems.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique in which the practitioner inserts fine needles into specific points on the patient's body to stimulate certain organs, move qi blockages and encourage healing. It is becoming more popular than before. One can feel a heavy sensation on acupuncture points and this sort of sensation can last 1-2 days for some people. People vary in their response to acupuncture, but most find it a relaxing experience.
Dietary advice
Chinese Medicine believes that skin conditions can be helped or aggravated by certain foods. In TCM, all foods possess a certain nature (ie. Cold, Hot, Sweet Sour etc) and these can affect our body and skin. Dietary advice will be given in the initial consultation to recommend eat more of certain foods or avoid something else. Dietary advice is considered as an important part in TCM theory.